He looked into her eyes for a moment and then said, “I’m glad.”
Jane felt hot all over. She wanted to spill everything, to tell him how hard it had been for her and Ben. How she’d come to the conclusion that if she didn’t stand up for herself, no one would. How many times Pa had come home from town inebriated after her mother died. She and Ben had learned to hide, and when that failed, to defend themselves. They had poured out liquor and hidden his ammunition until he sold his rifle to buy more drink. How many times had she braved Pa’s anger to keep him from beating Ben?
“I’m surprised you’d want to see me,” she squeaked out.
His expression softened. “Why?”
“Because of Pa.” Well, mostly because of Pa. She also wondered why he would choose her over other young women in the county. Women who had real families. Women who didn’t spend all day doing ranch chores and trying to keep their drunken fathers from destroying the place.
“You think he’d object?”
“Probably not. He’d probably think I’d snagged me a good one. But he’d want something in return.”
“I think I can handle your pa.”
“Really?”
Crockett nodded. “My pa scares me a whole lot more than yours.”
She started to laugh, but she saw that he was serious.
“I should probably tell you,” he went on, “my Pa’s got this bee in his bonnet that all us boys should get married. Soon.”
Jane frowned. “Is that why Hays and Chisholm and Travis and—and—”
“Houston?”
“Yes, Houston,” she said. “Is that why they all got married this year?”
“Well, I’d like to think it was love in each case, but I’m sure Pa’s order had something to do with it. He sees it as giving us all a kick in the pants to get on with continuing the Hart family.”
“Oh.”
He cocked his head to one side. “What?”
“Is that why you said that you want to … you know, court me?”
“Not really. This summer, I’d about made up my mind to ignore what Pa said. Just keep on the way I have been—and maybe even set out on my own if Pa didn’t like it. And then I got to know you better. That and seeing how happy my married brothers are, well, it sort of made me feel Pa might not have such a bad idea. And I realized, I really do want my own place. Pa won’t give me my share of the land if I don’t get married this year. I was feeling like that was a lot to ask of us, but now…”
She sat there a bit numb. She had no parlor in which to entertain a suitor. The idea of a suitor—and a strong, handsome man from a substantial family, at that—stunned her. Whatever did he see when he looked at her that made him want to get to know her better and possibly move toward marriage? Eligible women didn’t exactly grow on trees in Texas, but there were scads more pretty than her, who would come into a marriage with a hope chest full of linens and such.
She pulled in a deep breath, still not sure why he had picked her. “Then I say yes. You can see what you’re up against.”
He nodded, smiling. “I’ve got my eyes open.”
“All right then.”
“I’ll come Monday about the roof, and maybe we can take a walk after. Or ride out and check your stock together.”
“You’ll spoil me.”
“I hope so.” Crockett grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet.
Jane declined Crockett’s invitation to dance again.
“I shouldn’t,” she said.
He supposed he had monopolized her, but he didn’t care. Of course, etiquette said he ought to dance with some other young women, at least with his sisters-in-law. He saw a few of the ladies starting to pack up the things left on the refreshment table.
“I’ll go help with the cleanup,” Jane said.
“All right. See you later.”
But before she could reach the table, one of the cowboys from the Hart ranch intercepted her. Crockett couldn’t hear what he said, but he led Jane over to join one of the groups forming for a square dance. Crockett smiled and ambled away, keeping to the edge of the activity.
As he strolled along the fence, he saw someone saddling a horse in the shadow of the barn. The party was beginning to break up.
He stopped short when he realized the man was Ben. Why would Ben be throwing a saddle on his horse now? Crockett ducked through the rail fence and walked over to stand behind him.
“Going someplace, Ben?”
Jane’s brother whirled and blinked at him. “Oh. Crockett. Yeah, I … was going to ride out and see if I could get back to Leonards’ tonight. I might still be able to get in a few days’ work there, and we need the cash.”
“Does Jane know?”
Ben shook his head. “She’ll understand.”
“Will she?” Crockett eyed him carefully. “She needs you, Ben. There’s a lot left to do here.”
“The neighbors have all been so nice. I figured this would be the time to go, when folks are feeling kindly toward her. At least three people have told me tonight that they’ll help us again if we need it. She’ll be all right.”